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Polysomnogram

I am finally scheduled for a sleep study in a few weeks after years of excessive daytime sleepiness.  

Even though I know my sleep is most often disrupted at least 15 times a night and no matter what I wake up feeling more tired than when I went to bed, with weak muscles and an almost "drunk" feeling, and all day long I am so excessively sleepy and I don't have a single point at all during the day where I don't feel I need to sleep, I am VERY nervous that the polysomnogram results will be normal and I will be lost.

What kinds of things will the polysomnogram test for, and what would be considered normal results?  Could it miss anything?  

(I practice good sleep hygiene, keep to the same sleep schedule 7 days a week, do not drink caffeine or alcohol, and have had a host of other medical conditions ruled out over the past few years).  
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Avatar universal
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Your sleep study tests for a number of different variables, but the most important measure is how often you stop breathing, and for how long.

If you normally like to sleep on your side or stomach, you probably have a sleep-breathing problem. Whether or not it will come back officially as sleep apnea is still up in the air. Please read my article on upper airway resistance syndrome for a more complete explanation. Good luck.

http://www.doctorstevenpark.com
Helpful - 1
Avatar universal
Thanks, your website is super informative and helpful!

Yes, I cannot sleep on my back at all.  It often takes me 2 hours to fall asleep, and if I am not on my stomach or side I will not fall asleep at all.

I also cannot fall sleep with my legs straight for some reason.  I have to have them bent at the knee.  Is this an indicator of anything, or just an individual preference?  (I don't have any urge to move my legs, etc, so I don't think restless leg syndrome is a factor).  

Also, last night I took a melatonin before bed.  I hadn't taken it in a long time and figured I'd give it another shot.  I'm not sure how long it took me to fall asleep--it was longer than a half hour but shorter than the 2 hours it usually takes.  I only remember fully waking up 2 times, less than normal.  I had what seemed to be a very long dream (and I usually never dream) and woke up feeling dazed and drunk, and even more tired than I usually am when I wake (which I didn't think was possible!)

This happens whenever I take a sleep aid, prescription or OTC.  It's almost like they make things worse.  Also, a few times in the fall I had nights where I just barely slept at all even though I was so tired I felt like I should fall dead asleep immediately.  I'd fall asleep for a total of 20 minutes here and there all night, and the next day, while I still felt unbelievably tired and like I was in a fog, I actually felt better upon waking than I ever do when I actually "sleep."  That's not to say I felt good or refreshed in the least.  I was extremely tired, but my legs ached much less and I didn't feel nearly as sort of shaky, "drunk" and dazed as I usually do.  It's almost like during sleep something is happening to make me feel even worse (which probably isn't possible).  Is this something that happens to other people with sleep disorders?
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